few problems...

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:52 pm

got a nice 320i a few weeks back (Ԛ£190, no tax or mot, 115k miles,) but it needs some work... fixed most of it but still a few things...

1, steering self centering doesnt work (tested on private land of course...) if u turn a corner and let go of the wheel it just keeps cornering, any ideas what this will be? it doesnt creak or anything...

2, break light check light some times on at start up then off after a few minutes but not always,

3, if i turn the sony head unit on and the lights on the head unit goes off...

also need to know what price i can expect to pay for a set of break pads,

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eko
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:09 pm

firstly mate Welcome to the Zone :wave:
Answer to your questions

1, tracking out?

2, not sure,maybe faulty sensor

3, Radio wired up wrong

4, about Ԛ£15 from GSF

PS whats with all the wires near the battery?looks a bit iffy :mad:
Chrome bumper model too winkeye
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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:33 pm

its a nissan 200sx battery doing a imprestion of a bmw battery lol... so i had to extend the cables using some 4ag cable and some cable off a nissan starter moter i had spare,

so the steering could be somthing as simple as the tracking?

had a feeling it was wired up wrong... means i have to take the stupid thing out again... :(

yeah it is a chrome bumper model, early 1987 8)
eko
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:42 pm

steering could be tracking out but worth jacking up and checking anti roll bar/wishbone bushes and all steering joints etc.Steering coupling is worth checking too,always seem to be split on the E30s ive had,make a massive difference when renewed!

Where abouts are you?
What futue plans do you have for it?
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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:51 pm

just in colwyn bay,

not many plans atm... just get it through the mot then aim for a few more bhp (140 if its 120 atm but more if its more lol... u know what i mean!)

how much am i looking at paying if its "the universal joints" wich is what i was told b4 i got it but dont belive...
eko
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:57 pm

how much am i looking at paying if its "the universal joints" wich is what i was told b4 i got it but dont belive...
not sure,check www.gsfcarparts.com to find out.
I changed the coupling on mine recently and made the car so much more stable.The old one was virtually split in 2. :mad:
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Andy_magic
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:44 pm

Pull the rear light bulb holders, if they are anything like facelift ones there is springs inside the holders, 1 for each bulb, stretch the spring a bit and reassemble. Sorted my car out.
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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:56 pm

they work fine its just the warning thing every now and again near the sunroof,
Andy_magic
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:58 pm

The sensor work buy detecting current drops to the rear lights.

My car used to do the same, I did what I said and now it doesn't do it.

Or you could buy a new HUD off ebay
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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:00 pm

k i'll try it tomorrow... was fine till i disconnected the towbar electrics...
Taylor325i
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Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. Brilliant Red Tech II 325i.

Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:00 pm

hi mate, welcome to the zone. Brake light check light should always be on at start up and go off as soon as you touch the brakes.


Taylor.
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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:02 pm

yeah used to do that but the last few times i started it it hasent on the odd ocasion...
Andy_magic
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:31 pm

If your first post had said

"i disconnected the towbar electrics... and now the light are playing up"


I would have given a different response.
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ste00
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:38 pm

thing is tho the lights arent they work fine its just on the "check eng" pannel near the sunroof that it shows they arent working every now and again... but the spring thing might fix it...
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Brianmoooore
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Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:53 pm

Cheap, out of spec brake lamp bulbs can make the light indicator play up occasionally, as well as whats been said above.
Last time I had an E30 with non centering steering it turned out to be an almost siezed outer ball joint on one of the front control arms. Check tracking first though.
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ste00
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Post Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:13 am

think i might dump it at a garage with a bucket of cash for the steering let them sort it cause if its more than tracking it wont be cheap i guess...
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ste00
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Post Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:57 pm

break lights are having a day of working so i am not gonna mess with them today lol...

head unit is still a mistery tho... its all connected rite comes on when i want but the instant the lights come on it shuts down and wont come back on... i have checked with a multi meter and all i can see is the cable i have it hooked into drops to 8v when the lights are on... could this be the problem? or could it be because i dont have the ilumination wire hooked up to anything (because i cant see ne were for it to go)?